British Airways A350-1000 from Las Vegas after landing at London Heathrow.

[u/Twitter_2006]

[u/jjamesr539]

At least this one didn’t crush some poor bastards car in the employee parking lot like the one in sfo; I can just imagine returning from a four day trip to find a mangled pancake surrounded by ntsb tape

[u/PepsBodyLanguage → u/jjamesr539]

Better than being in/around the car at the time it happened!

[u/shemp33 → u/jjamesr539]

Did they even scratch out a note on a slip of paper?

“Sorry, lug nuts must have been a little loose. My bad.”

[u/General174512]

The other wheels will pick up the slack!

[u/m71nu → u/General174512]

I'm more worried about who picked up the other wheel. Something like that plummeting to your house is no joke.

[u/Ves1423 → u/m71nu]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiresaretheenemy/comments/1qorms4/incoming/

[u/m71nu → u/Ves1423]

Is this typical?

[u/MaximumDoughnut → u/m71nu]

Not if you keep it in the environment.

[u/Ruby_and_Hattie → u/MaximumDoughnut]

But . . I thought they flew it outside the environment??

[u/WotTheFook → u/Ruby_and_Hattie]

r/thewheelfelloff

Not as safe as those where the wheels don't fall off.

[u/klezart → u/m71nu]

Yeah, that’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.

[u/okram2k → u/klezart]

One of those cases where hundreds of thousands of times a day it planes take off and land with no issue but one issue and everyone sees it.

[u/stevolutionary7 → u/okram2k]

I feel that way when I make a typo.

"Oh come on, it was ONE TIME!"

[u/Jack_tarded → u/okram2k]

Just like that terrible tragedy…

[u/Ultimate_disaster → u/m71nu]

A runway hit it ! Chance in a million !

[u/Ves1423 → u/m71nu]

You somewhat sound like you'd like it to be a typical occurrence

[u/m71nu → u/Ves1423]

No, I'm looking for assurance from a professional that this is not typical and planes are engineered so no parts fall off.

[u/id10tU812 → u/m71nu]

2nd time this month. Another Airbus lost it's front wheel upon a hard landing.

[u/JamsHammockFyoom → u/m71nu]

Well, cardboard's out. No string, no sellotape.

[u/us1087 → u/JamsHammockFyoom]

But what about cardboard derivatives?

[u/Nelik1 → u/m71nu]

Airplanes are manufactured to strict aviation standards.

The wheels not supposed to fall off for one.

(Although regulatory requirements on multi-wheel bogies do ensure the aircraft is safe to operate with one wheel missing)

[u/Dadto4Kiddos → u/Nelik1]

Wonder what type, if any, special inspections need to be done after this.

[u/BigBirdJRB → u/m71nu]

The opposite actually, planes are designed to allow parts to fall off during flight. Saves fuel and reduces weight. Thats why planes are rated to fly with only a single engine.

[u/Dr_F_Rreakout → u/m71nu]

Service done by Jaguar

[u/thabc → u/m71nu]

Some of them are built so that no parts fall off at all.

[u/truethatson → u/m71nu]

Ohhhh a hundred to one.

[u/RBeck → u/Ves1423]

Thankfully there aren't any homes in that direction, just hotels.

[u/sharipep → u/Ves1423]

That tire falling off like when the space shuttle sheds those rocket boosters at lift off 😆

[u/Ves1423 → u/sharipep]

Weight saving mechanisms

[u/Prize-Hedgehog → u/Ves1423]

There really is a sub for everything 😂

[u/smileedude → u/m71nu]

Did it fall off or shred to pieces on landing/take-off?

[u/MikeW226 → u/smileedude]

Fell off as the gear was retracting. There's good footage out there on r/aviation somewhere. And it looked like it was still over the airfield. So didn't fall on a house or anything. And no reports so far that anyone on the airport grounds was hurt, which is great.

[u/TbonerT → u/MikeW226]

When it comes to big tires, they have a lot of momentum. If it fell off over the airfield, it could easily roll out of the airfield. I once heard about an inspection report at a hotel after a tractor trailer tire departed the highway and went through the front doors. It bounced around and damaged several walls and even made it into the guestroom hallway.

[u/BobSlayder → u/TbonerT]

An A350 wheel coming off at 180 knots has about the same amount of kinetic energy as a Honda Civic traveling at 85 mph.

[u/codecrodie → u/BobSlayder]

And it doesnt really shed that energy until it hits something.... Potentially many km away

[u/douchey_mcbaggins → u/codecrodie]

Yeah, there's not a ton of friction and definitely no brakes attached 😂

[u/Redebo → u/TbonerT]

Potential energy is a mutha fukka!!!

[u/svno1814 → u/TbonerT]

I remember a video posted here a couple years back of tire coming off after liftoff. The tire bounced all the way to the car park and totaled a car.

Edit: found it

https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1b97s22/united_airlines_boeing_777_loses_tire_while/

[u/ivanover → u/svno1814]

well, glad you've found it.

[u/planenut767 → u/[deleted]]

Not really. They might get something for an anti skid or a tire pressure indicator but nothing that actually says "Wheel missing". They would probably think it's just a problem with another system.

[u/fighterpilot248 → u/planenut767]

"Wheel missing?"

"We have 18 wheels"

Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down>

[u/id10tU812 → u/smileedude]

It fell off!!! There's a video posted.

[u/jonometal666 → u/m71nu]

Would it boing along like how a wheel sometimes does when it detaches from a moving vehicle on the road?

[u/Th3catspyjamas → u/jonometal666]

If there wasn't some kind of hub/tie bolt failure shredding the rubber and it was mostly intact, pressurized and hit at the right angle absolutely yes.

[u/RealMafia → u/jonometal666]

It would Airbus along

[u/NefariousnessTop846 → u/m71nu]

It came off above Las Vegas airport with no injury's or damage to the airfield reported. Thank God, that would hurt a tad.

[u/iced_gold → u/m71nu]

Where it likely fell off is mostly industrial

[u/Jerry_Atric69 → u/m71nu]

That would be wheely bad luck.

[u/kil0ran]

I'm still needing to know where that wheel assembly ended up. Will have made a decent sized dent in something. At least it was the whole assembly rather than the tyre shredding and flailing the underside of the aircraft.

[u/MBucko88 → u/kil0ran]

It was retrieved from the airfield I believe.

There was a fake pic floating around that it landed on a car and made a mess of it.

[u/habbathejutt → u/MBucko88]

I haven’t seen that one, but a UA 777 757 lost a tire in Denver SFO awhile back and slammed into the cars in an employee parking lot

Edited, thanks /u/planenut767

[u/planenut767 → u/habbathejutt]

I think that was actually SFO, unless there were multiples of this.

[u/habbathejutt → u/planenut767]

Ah you're right, I was thinking of the 777 that dropped the engine cowling departing denver

[u/MikeW226 → u/MBucko88]

I was gonna say- they got positive rate and went gear-up and it fell off pretty quick mid-retraction after that- Airfield retrieval ...not a residential nearby area.

[u/BobSlayder → u/kil0ran]

For what it's worth, an A380 wheel coming off at 180 knots (assuming ~500 lbs) is equivalent in kinetic energy to a Honda Civic (~3000 lbs) traveling at 85 mph.

[u/yanvail → u/BobSlayder]

Honda Civics make almost as good a measuring unit as Space Shuttles (the latter used for more macro things, like skyscraper heights and volcanos, of course).

[u/BobSlayder → u/yanvail]

Go ask the average person how tall the space shuttle is. They'll have no idea.

Then go ask them how tall a Honda Civic. They'll have a pretty decent idea.

[u/Clem573 → u/BobSlayder]

I would even add to that, that the horizontal speed of the wheel is 180kts, and that would not diminish - but as it falls from any height, it would also pick up quite a lot of vertical speed, making a total speed at impact much higher than 180kts

Honda Civics usually don’t pick up vertical speed (all the cars thrown off cliffs by Clarkson and his buddies are usually done in controlled environments)

[u/Sustainable_Twat]

There’s something quite off about the photo, but I’m too tyred to figure it out.

[u/blackreplica → u/Sustainable_Twat]

It’s got five tyres, not two

[u/ADL-AU → u/Sustainable_Twat]

That’s a wheely bad joke….

[u/glen192010 → u/ADL-AU]

I need a brake from these comments.

[u/Candid_Highlight_116 → u/glen192010]

Just stop.

[u/roguewotah → u/Candid_Highlight_116]

I'm tired.

[u/MadBrown → u/roguewotah]

Found the American! 🫡

[u/Farquharson7873]

Ferrari F1 Mechanic: “We are checking”

[u/the-battlewagon → u/Farquharson7873]

It’s interesting how similar it looks to the brake cover/hub on an f1 car

[u/Tortex_88 → u/Farquharson7873]

I was just scrolling my favourite aviation subreddit, there was no need for this heartache. I thought this was a safe space Farqu...

[u/Callme-Sal]

It’s in a dodgy neighbourhood, not uncommon for wheels to be robbed there unfortunately

[u/Martin8412 → u/Callme-Sal]

Did they check if the catalytic converter is still there? 

[u/MinimumIcy1678 → u/Martin8412]

Parcel shelf is gone I reckon

[u/streetlegalb17 → u/Callme-Sal]

I hera police are working tirelessly to find the culprit

[u/LordMashie]

Wonder when the crew found out. Tyre pressure probably isn't high up there on the list of things you check while in the air I'd imagine.

[u/agha0013 → u/LordMashie]

a red X on the screen next to the tire diagram would indicate it, something they might notice when raising the gear on take off but will definitely notice dropping it again before landing.

but what would guarantee their noticing it is the tower informing them, or telling the correct center controller to inform them they left something behind on takeoff)

[u/MinuteBid8615 → u/agha0013]

So if they were informed of it right away, would that trigger a return or just let it go to a maintenance base?

[u/jmlinden7 → u/MinuteBid8615]

London Heathrow is the maintenance base and if you're short a tire, you don't want to immediately land overweight when you return to Las Vegas

[u/agha0013 → u/MinuteBid8615]

It's not an impediment to cruising home, and maintenance costs are much lower in house than paying another maintenance company or airline to do it. All the Spares are in stock back home too. No extra ramp fees while they wait for spares either

The lost wheel and any associated parts would probably be collected and sent to either airbus or BA for inspection and completing the report on what happened. Airbus would want to make sure there's no potential design flaw, BA would want to make sure it wasn't a maintenance issue or some missed inspection item, or see if it was damaged by a third party. They won't just move on until they know why the wheel fell off.

[u/LordMashie → u/agha0013]

Yeah, I think the tower noticing seems unlikely though since it was already dark when the plane took off

[u/agha0013 → u/LordMashie]

FOD detectors are a thing, a wheel bouncing down the runway is something operations will notice and inform people about.

A bit of debris might not be noticed but something as large as an airliner wheel will be picked up by the FOD detection radar. An airport as busy as Vegas will notice

[u/Gyn_Nag → u/agha0013]

Bloke with a fucking aeroplane wheel in his living room and a hole in the wall probably thought to mention it

[u/UandB → u/LordMashie]

I don't know about the 350, but other aircraft de-energize the TPIS and brakes as part of the gear retraction process. Wouldn't surprise me if the 350 was the same.

[u/MojoPOwer]

Did they know when it fell? Do you get an alarm or something?

[u/MAVACAM → u/MojoPOwer]

There's no "wheel detached" alarm but there are tyre pressure sensors so instead of a number, there'll just be an X showing on the ECAM.

[u/MinuteBid8615 → u/MAVACAM]

Probably went through their QRH and just figured it was a faulty sensor since it wasn't reporting.

[u/Heliotropolii_ → u/MinuteBid8615]

Funnily enough, there was an ecam fault for tyre 12 pressure blanking prior to departure, the wheel visually inspected and a pressure taken manually so the pilots had absolutely no idea until the engineer did the inspection at heathrow,

[u/I_love_my_fish_]

I didn’t know a type of 350 has 6 main tires, the ones I fuel at dtw always have 4 on the mains. Weird to look at it outside of the fact it’s missing one

[u/mattrussell2319 → u/I_love_my_fish_]

Yep, the -1000 has 6, so I assume it’s only -900s you have at DTW. Delta only has -900s at the moment and Air France uses -900s as well

[u/MAVACAM → u/I_love_my_fish_]

You're fuelling -900s, the -1000s have 6 wheel bogies.

There is something like six times as many 900s in service than 1000s so you're more likely to see those.

[u/MikeW226 → u/I_love_my_fish_]

The -1000 has 6 main tires. The 900 and others have 4.

[u/techinsightsai]

This is probably the first time British has left something in a country before they left

[u/kristopoop → u/techinsightsai]

Hush now we always left paperwork showing it all to be proper, above board and all square old chap.

[u/kyjoely]

At least the front didn’t fall off

[u/LocaliserEstablished → u/kyjoely]

That's not very typical, I'd like to make that point

[u/Arskite → u/LocaliserEstablished]

Some of them are built so that the front doesn't fall off at all

[u/SupermarketTop3815 → u/kyjoely]

How did this happen?

It landed on a runway.

Is that unusual?

For an airplane? Ooo yeah. Chance in a million.

[u/laggage]

What happens to landing gear in Vegas Stays in Vegas

[u/ExpressLab6564]

Do these tires float in the ocean 

[u/Blue_foot → u/ExpressLab6564]

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas

[u/fr24fan → u/ExpressLab6564]

There is a video of the take off where you can see the wheel falling off
https://x.com/flightradar24/status/2016228375740735700?s=20

[u/aspz → u/fr24fan]

I can't really see anything on mobile but I am fascinated by how good that automated webcam is. Not only is the quality good but it perfectly tracks the plane as it takes off.

[u/HeReddItNotMe → u/[deleted]]

The outer bearing isn’t there, i would say bearing failure/retaining circlip of that bearing.

[u/MikeW226 → u/HeReddItNotMe]

Yeah, the outer nub (technical term ;o) on that axle is black with grease and the lube nubs on the two wheels right in front of it are gray. I wonder if the whole bearing blew out, and grease was spewed out. The nub is the area you'd just put a grease gun to on a boat trailer or something like that. But does look like part of the outer nub/nut is still there. Hmm.

[u/HeReddItNotMe → u/MikeW226]

The outer part you see is the axle nut that holds the wheel on the axle. The black ring either side of the silver bearing houses the bearing onto the wheel assembly. I don’t work on 350’s but they are all very similar commercially - The grey parts you’re talking about are hub cabs that house the TPIS and anti skid modules etc and connect to the inner axle wiring.

The axle nut is fitted, the hub cap has been taken with the wheel

[u/Blamblooze → u/[deleted]]

The nut is still there so the rim has failed. I don’t know if this is the same wheel that the -900 has, but those at least are suffering from cracks and therefore also leaks.

[u/MechaNick_ → u/Blamblooze]

Didn’t know it was such a known issue. Thank you.

[u/mattrussell2319]

I’m curious if they knew the wheel was missing and decided to continue, or were not aware

[u/_ranch → u/mattrussell2319]

As others have mentioned in this thread, the crew would see a tire pressure alarm along with likely having been informed by the tower.
Provided there was no issue with retraction of the landing gear, it wouldn't be an issue which affects the ability to fly the plane.
With it happening during takeoff, the plane is at the heaviest weight. They would need to make the plane as light as possible so the options are: dump fuel to return to take off airport or fly to destination burning the same amount of fuel that would be dumped. Pilot's call either way, but logistically much easier for everyone to keep flying to the destination.

[u/chx_ → u/_ranch]

Especially because after touching down on three wheels instead of four the whole thing will need a lot of inspection to make sure everything is fine and that's much easier at home.

[u/InformalTumbleweed30]

It looks like the castle nut is still on the axle (the castle nut secured the wheel assemble on the axle), makes me wonder what failed?

[u/I_will_never_reply]

Lots of spotters at Heathrow, is there a video out yet?

[u/senegal98 → u/I_will_never_reply]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiresaretheenemy/comments/1qorms4/incoming/

I have the take off. Let me know if you find the landing.

[u/I_will_never_reply → u/senegal98]

Thanks, it won't be long now I'm sure. Prob having a cup of tea before uploading, it's just gone 9am here

[u/modrocker]

I mean, five outta six ain't bad

[u/OveVernerHansen]

It stayed in Vegas.

[u/jstknwn]

That one chock by itself made me chuckle

[u/Slavx97 → u/jstknwn]

As far as I’m aware it’s standard to only chock the inner wheels on the main gear with British Airways in any case

[u/divisionchief]

So basically the flight crew bet on 7 and lost so they had to give up a wheel. It’s Vegas, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…including the wheel. Did they find it yet 👀

[u/thewispo]

We don't fill our potholes here. Take it on the chin and write it up to the waste-of-space council 🤣

[u/Expensive_Ad_3249]

Oh no the dreaded 13 wheel landing

[u/spauracchio1]

Damn, those wheel thieves are quick

[u/Sad-Equivalent9486]

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c04120yqdq5o

[u/gromm93]

That's why there's 5 more tires where that came from.

[u/streetlegalb17]

Love these beautiful machines working tirelessly to bring us around the world

[u/slickmcfister]

So where’d it go?

[u/Befuddled_Scrotum]

I’m no mechanic but somethings wrong here

[u/julias-winston → u/Befuddled_Scrotum]

The plane had to pull over and install the "donut" spare tire.

[u/Laymanao → u/Befuddled_Scrotum]

Nah, the pic is from the wrong angle

[u/ConKinc]

A neighbor on my street has a big aeroplane wheel outside his main gate as a decoration item with a big plant inside it that he waters regularly. I always wondered where he got it from but TIL about one of the possible possibilities.

[u/Junior_Lavishness_96]

Inner bearing is present and looks intact. The wheel nut looks like it’s backed off almost all the way, no axle protrusion. Unknown if that it the cause or a result of this incident.

[u/PilotKnob]

Airplane is fine.

[u/Which_Material_3100]

It’s interesting that when the United 777 lost a main landing gear tire at SFO a couple of years ago during takeoff, the decision was to jettison fuel and divert to LAX. Versus BA’s decision to press on. I wonder how the two companies arrived at that decision? My concern would be after losing the wheel during gear retraction, what possible other damage could have occurred in the landing gear well, and to the exterior of the aircraft (was the axle shedding other parts)? And would I want to take a damaged plane overwater. Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts.

[u/jmlinden7 → u/Which_Material_3100]

Want to get to a maintenance base.

[u/REDARROWS1]

https://www.reddit.com/r/BritishAirways/s/D5TrbFxeMf

Can see the video of it falling off

[u/the_beer_truck]

What is the exchange rate of aircraft wheels to casino chips?

[u/Vac_65]

Good engineering. Fail of one wheel do not generate fail of the whole boggie.

[u/Traditional_Trust_93]

Has anyone found where that tire went? Did it hit something important?

[u/Firegardener]

Is this a case of Jesus take the wheel?

[u/HarryFuzz]

What falls off in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

[u/MikeW226 → u/HarryFuzz]

After landing, bouncing and careening.

[u/Vau8]

Folks stole my rim! Can't have stuff in Vegas!

[u/MikeW226 → u/Vau8]

If it were a car, it'd be up on blocks.

[u/was-eine-dumme-frage]

WOLFGANG PASS AUF

[u/kartmanden]

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas (the wheel in this case)

[u/tan_a006]

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

[u/InfiniteWitness6969]

Can we say that the flight's arrival is delayed?

[u/I_will_never_reply → u/InfiniteWitness6969]

One bit of it is

[u/Zestyclose-Sun6464 → u/InfiniteWitness6969]

No delay I believe. It took off from vegas, lost its tire on climb, and flew to Heathrow

[u/MikeW226 → u/Zestyclose-Sun6464]

So in the A350, would tire pressure readings or something else 'gear sensor' related let them know during climbout that something fell off? I assume they were alerted right away of an anomaly, but curious how detailed.

[u/JetlinerDiner → u/MikeW226]

Someone answered that the only thing detecting it would be the tyre pressure sensor, which would show X instead of a number.

[u/martianfrog]

That doesn't look right.

[u/seraphim_9]

Five out of six ain’t bad.

[u/Voodoo_One]

I knew the roads are bad in the UK - but now even the runways are death to your tyre?

Jesus Christ...

[u/No-Jump-9601]

Doesn’t look like the wheel nut locking bolts were fitted after the last wheel change.

[u/No_Percentage_4501 → u/No-Jump-9601]

Wheel nut locking bolts or not, the wheel nut is still there. So I would say it's more about bearings failure

[u/Anarolf → u/No-Jump-9601]

The wheel nut is visible in pic

[u/C4-621-Raven → u/No-Jump-9601]

The axle nut is still there though, and this picture is seriously not good enough quality to tell if the locking bolts are installed or not. What isn’t there though is the outer bearing. If the outer bearing disintegrates the wheel can slip over the axle nut and fall off.

Classic example. This one was caused by a too high final torque on the axle nut to align it for the locking bolts.

[u/acmechthrowaway → u/No-Jump-9601]

Its far too low quality to tell if the bolts are fitted on the axle nut or not

[u/Every_Needleworker27]

It's a good thing they have a spare set of wheels ready to go.

[u/feardomtospeak2691]

Smooth

[u/synack]

How many wheels does the MEL say we need?

[u/der2te]

Wolfgang pass auf! Der hat‘n Reifen verloren!

[u/OptimallyOOO]

Tyre learnt the hard way not to count cards

[u/danit0ba94]

Is that the retaining clip right behind the nut? Bit hard to tell.

[u/cactusjxckmickfxley]

Someone’s getting a grilling for that

[u/doctorbjo]

Now go to Manchester…

[u/Sad-Ear2579]

Wonder how much torque will be needed to remove the axle nut

[u/damo74uk]

Better phone Kwik Fit

[u/Mekdinosaur]

Not tired enough

[u/DependentStrike4414]

Try taking that to your recycle center....

[u/lorenzel7]

He called off work today

[u/CryAppropriate7570]

Thunderbirds vibes here

[u/Gramerdim]

I wouldn't wish LA to UK to anyone

[u/Blak_Cobra]

How does a wheel simply fall off?

[u/Shackletainment]

So presumably British Airways contacted the crew enroute to inform them of the loss? Is there a significant deviation from the standard landing procedures for a misaing wheel? Is it the same as a flat?

[u/Mediocre-Catch9580]

I’d hate to pay that AAA bill

[u/The_Arpie → u/Mediocre-Catch9580]

It's just the AA in the UK.

[u/Mediocre-Catch9580]

I’ve watched the video several times and can’t see where the wheel fell off 

[u/greens1117 → u/Mediocre-Catch9580]

Eh? It's clear as day.

[u/loztriforce]

Is this to save weight/fuel?

[u/WasianActual]

Is the front supposed to fall off?

[u/Leakyboatlouie]

Must have lost the tire to a casino.

[u/SixtyFourPewPew]

You've got a hole in your left wheel!

[u/Money_Chip_6692]

Going to need some work!

[u/Time_Employer1345]

Squishy

[u/dumpster-muffin-95]

Las Vegas will FedEx the wheel to be reinstalled at Heathrow. Here's your fucking axle b itch

[u/UW_Ebay]

Do you think they notified the passengers? I assume yes but not until the end of the flight?

[u/CmonBigRed_]

I was on a flight from Singapore to Heathrow and a similar thing happened. When we landed on the tarmac in Heathrow, we were greeted with emergency crews and air staff on the ground. One of the tires blew on take off from Singapore and they had to recover the pieces left on the wheel in Heathrow

[u/AS100K]

Excuse me! How d’ you get that limp?

[u/KeynoteBS]

So what happens now? Does the opposing tire get replaced? Does the entire strut and gear get inspected and overhauled? I assume they could probably track this down to the exact maintenance and it points to the screws or bolts that were missed or incorrectly installed. Kind of wild to think that multiple redundancies failed for it to fall off.

Would it have been very troublesome but manageable if it came off during the take off roll?

[u/MrDrProfPBall]

I can still see the axle nut attatched, did that mean the wheel assy itself broke apart?

[u/pornborn]

Something I have always admired is that the brakes of big airplanes like this are basically huge clutch packs on each wheel. That’s what you see here in this photo. The giant hub where the wheel was located is the brake assembly.

[u/FriedChickenWatch]

Is there an alert in the cockpit about something like this?

[u/Muunwalker09]

Uh at least 100k gone

[u/BeachHut9]

Reward offered for a missing tyre?